Boundary proposals a good start says Mayor

Boundaries for the new
Auckland Council and new local boards published today are a
good first step and provide a workable basis for further
discussion, North Shore Mayor Andrew Williams said
today.

“The Local Government Commission has done a good
job with their ‘first cut’ at the draft boundaries for
the new Auckland council and local boards, and with a little
work they will provide a solid basis for strong local
representation,” Mayor Williams said.

“North Shore
City has been sliced in two, with one enormous ward of
nearly 145,000 residents in the south covering Takapuna,
Devonport, Glenfield and Birkenhead, and another ward of
just over 120,000 residents in the north covering the
Hibiscus Coast, Albany and East Coast Bays, each with two
Auckland councillors elected at large.”

“The clear
preference of 84 percent of North Shore residents in a
recent survey is for smaller wards with one councillor each,
because it gives them a councillor who is directly
accountable to them and has a strong mandate to advocate for
their community at the top table, especially in regional
decisions that will affect their local
community.”

“This preference can easily be
accommodated by the Commission in the final boundaries by
aligning the wards with the local boards resulting in one
ward with one councillor and one local board for Takapuna
and Devonport, and one ward with one councillor and one
local board for Glenfield and Birkenhead. A similar result
can be achieved for the northern ward boundary
divisions.”

Mayor Williams said the Commission had
clearly listened to the views of local people who wanted to
see local boards with sufficient size and ‘critical
mass’ to be effective.

“Local communities will be
fairly pleased with the Commission’s proposals for the
local boards, and the Commission has indeed listened to
local views by delivering specific sub-divisions or ridings
within the local boards to better reflect distinctive
communities, such as Devonport,” Mayor Williams
said.

“Overall, I feel the Commission has made a very
good start, and with a few changes, will be in a position to
deliver final boundaries that accord fairly well with what
most people are looking for.”

“The proposed boundaries
are now open for submission until 11 December, giving people
one last chance to have their say, and the Council will be
making a further submission to the Commission and will also
be encouraging local groups and individuals to have their
own say on the proposed boundaries.”

Mayor Williams
added that it would be helpful to local communities and the
Council should the government release the third Auckland
Council bill, due next month, before the submissions on the
proposed boundaries close.

“The government has told us
that the third Auckland Council bill will contain the detail
of the role, powers and responsibilities of the local
boards, and also set up around eight council controlled
organisations run on commercial lines to deliver local
services. Having this information is vital for local
communities to reach a final view on the new boundaries and
the membership of the local boards, before the submissions
close in three weeks time,” Mayor Williams
said.

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